Building construction.



C. R. BALLNER.

BUILDING CONSTRUCTION.

APPLICATION man JULY 16. 19x4.

Patented Apr. 10, 1917.

In vencor:

$M If. mum

fig L A; Atty CHARLES R. BALLNEB, 0F J'MEAICA, NETW'YQRK.

\ A arm-Drive consrnucrron.

tpeciflcation of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. Ml, Wilt.

Application at July 16, 1914. Serial no. 851,267.

building construction of the type in which individual components, such as fireproof blocks, are laid in courses to form a complete structure. The invention is especially, although not exclusively, applicable to the construction of partition walls, dumbwa iter shafts, and the like.

One object of the invention is to simplify existing construction means of this type, whereby a saving of time, labor and expense is effected. Another object is to strengthen or reinforce such structures at the points heretofore regarded as the weakest and most liable to damage. Other objects will be disclosed in the following specification.

The igivention embodies what I believe to be a new principle in building construction, and also includes an improved form of building block, as well as means for uniting blocks, and courses of blocks, to each other.

To enable my invention to be clearly understood, I have illustrated several forms of application thereof in the accompanying drawing, wherein Figure 1 is a perspective view of a dumbwaiter shaft in course of construction;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary corner view thereof, on a somewhat larger scale than that of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a-plan view of'a double or hollow wall made according to my invention; and

Fig. 6 is a detail elevational view of anchoring means used in the construction of Fig.

I will first describe the form of invention disclosed in Figs. 1' and 2, and referring to thesame by reference characters, 10 denotes the components or blocks which are laid in courses to form a structure of any desired sh'ape and size. All the blocks 10, which 'arepreferably of fireproof material, may be made in a mold of standard size.

.Each block has three of its edges grooved,

as at ll, one of the longer edges preferably remaining intact, and each block is also prov ded on one of its faces, with oppositely disposed grooves 12, which are equidistant from the ends of the block. These grooves are all substantially semi-circular in cross section, and are of a depth to snugly receive anchors hereinafter described.

Owing to the fact that all the blocks are grooved in the manner above described, they may be made of a standard size, and if a smaller block is required, either end of a standard block may be cut 0E and there will always be one face groove and two edge grooves accessible. Such smaller blocks are required for the end walls of dumbwaiter shafts, in parts of which the blocks are laid in bonded. course, i. e. where they break joints.

The anchor above referred to is clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2 and includes a substantially straight shank member 13, of round metal, a spike member 14:, and a loop member 15; The shank 13 is of a diameter to snugly fit into one of the grooves 11 just flush with the upper faces of the walls of the groove. The spike 14. is driven into the block groove 11 at a point where the loop member 15 will register with a groove 11 or a groove 12. The loops 15 are designed to receive visible dowels 16, which are passed through these loops to fit into the vertical edge grooves 11 and certain of the face grooves 12.

Where the blocks 10 are set in bonded manner, (breaking joints) as in Fig. 1, the anchor 13 clenches or bridges each two adjacent blocks, because of its spike-end 14 being driven into one of the blocks and its loop-end 15, interlocked by the visible dowel 16, retaining or anchoring the other block firmly in its place.

Where the dowels are not set in bonded manner as is the case where door-openings D are built into a shaft, the anchor, at both edges of the blocks forming such dooropening, is placed somewhat more inwardly from the block-end so as to engage and i various purposes within the f til inspection of the and until the structure closmg springs there has been heretofore as may be required for and these visible dowels form the vert1cal reinforcement of the-shaft.

The visible dowel is inserted downwardly into a vertical ed e-groove or face-groove, until it has passe through the loop of an engaging anchor, and has thus bri ged-or passed beyond a joint of two adjacent locks and until about one half of its length is below its engaging anchor and below the horizontal joint of two abuttingblocks, which it dowelsor bridges.

The dowel is kept from slipping down: wardly by any suitable means, as by a small portion of mortar pressed about it into its groove bed at one or more places, such mortar being readily obtained by a mason pointing up the joints between the blocks and particularly at the intersection of the'anchor. and dowel, where the mortar joint is heavier shorter nor longer by reason of the mason having to chip out I a notch 17 in the block 10 in order to admit the loop-end of the anchor. The mortar, com ressed by the weight of the abutting bloc is more than ample for the purpose of retaining the dowels 1n place. The visible dowel 16 placed at the corner formed by the blocks, strengthens a shaft where reinforcement is most needed and half of the dowel being placedinto the edgegroove while the other half of said dowel is ace-groove, the same result is obtained as if two dowels were employed for this urpose.

The v1sible dowel, placed into the edge groove, around door openings, is a very important feature because of the Shaft door being frequentl opened and shut (by selft e blocks are apt to become loosened unless they are thoroughly remforced and anchored.

ere a shaft consists of only two or three sides of blocks (the other sides being of brick, etc.) the dowel can beinserted into the edge-grooves at both ends of the blocks and will thus thoroughly reinforce and firmly retain in place. several courses of blocks, even if thesame s ould not be bonded at either end thereof and will form a continuous line of dowe s at both ends of the blocks throughout all courses that are not bonded. This is a feature possible only with my invention and has been devised 'to meet this emer ncy, which frequently occurs and for w 'ch so far as I am aware no other remedy except the placing of angle-iron braces at conslderable cost and delay. The visible dqwel, by reason of its interlocking the anchor, has the same effect as a' wall-anchor except that the dowel as well as the loop of the anchor remain visible un -e work has beenmade receives plastering. Throughout all bonded courses of a shaft y .anchors are so arranged 1n thedumbwaiter shaft of .abutting blocks, its lower half upper part of the lower block,

' tional blocks, laid eeann as shown in Fig. 1 a dowel anchor will be found alternately at the right and at the left side of the corner point of the shaft and, by reason of every block being engaged by two dowels in two distinctly separate places,

the same'eflectis attained as if the dowels were continuous from bottom to top of the tear, the blocks are grooved. at their edges and visible dowels are run continuously therein as around door openings of a shaft structure.

Vertical within the inner and outer surface of the face grooves 12 are provided blocks at like distances from the ends ofthe blocks.

The blocks are set in bonded'courses and are secured t gether by means of anchors 13 each provided with a sharp, spike-like point 14: at one end and with a loop 15 at its other end. 7

The anchors are placed so as to bridge the vertical joints T, between each and every two adjacent blocks, the spike-end of the anchor being driven into the block at the left, the loop-end being placed above the vertical face groove of the block at the right, the straight portion of the anchor, fitting snugly within itsgroove-bed and being tained therein b ting (upper) 'b oek ,formsa strong horizontal reinforcement.

The loops of the meet the vertical grooves 12 at the inner surface of the'blocks of one course and at the outer surface of the blocks of'the next course set thereupon,

The visible dowels 16 are inserted in the same efiect as same manner and with the Fig. 1. e

or dowels two aging the Each visible dowel joins alf engagingthe lower part of the upper block.

inner and. the outer surfaces of the blocks a steel dowel-net-work of selfsupported, thoroughly interlocked and an chored'reinforcements is obtained bothvertically and horizontally.

When the anchor is driven into its snug groove-bed, each two adjacent blocks, thus oined or bridged by the anchor, become immediately alined and if set fectly plumb. This will eliminate the conthat they alternately This being repeated alternately at both the rethe flat edge of the abutits upper lumh addi-' upon them, will be perstant use of implements to determineu meat-m whether the blocks are properly set up and W111 save considerable tune and consequent expense.

The visible dowels, by reason of their interlocking the anchor-loops, firmly tie ,or anchor all adjacent blocks and also connect all of the parts of the reinforcement by firmly interlocking one with. the other. Said dowels engage eachblock at both of its surfaces, one dowelat the top half and another dowel at the bottom half with precisely the same effect as if these dowels were continuous from bottom to the top of the partition.

The horizontal 'part 13 of the anchor, snugly fitting within-the groove 11 can well be termed a horizontal dowel as it not only eliminates the possibility of the anchor loop shifting, as would .be the case in a wide groove but one end of the anchor being driven into the block and the other end being interlocked by the vertical visible dowel 16 the straight, horizontal part of the an.- chor becomes a horizontal dowel, which bridges the vertical joints of the blocks. The anchor drops readily into its snug groovebed and adjusts itself the moment its sharp end is driven into the block. The loop end of the anchor fits exactly upon the vertical face-groove 12 or 12 of the block and is readily and easily interlocked by the dowel,

unlike, where two loops, one at each end of an anchor, have to be looked after and Where, by reason of uneven mortar joints either one of such loops would 'not fit an would have to be adjusted, in which case the slightest movement of one of the loops would dislodge the other loop and would eventually necessitate the anchor being taken out of its wide groove-bed, the distance between the vertical grooves to be carefully measured and the anchor thereafter adjusted accordingly.

A modified form of construction is shown in Fig. 5, wherein a double or hollow wall is. shown. In this form of invention, the walls are bridged or interconnected byanchors such as shown in Fig. 6. The anchor comprises a preferably flat metal bar 18 having an orifice 20 at one end thereof to receive a spike 19 which secures one end of the bar 18 to one wall, and having an orifice 21 at its other end to receive a dowel 16 which passes through 21 and into a corresponding groove in the opposite wall. The anchors of either 1 and 2 or Fig. 4 may be used with the construction of Fig. 5, although I prefer the anchor of Fig. 6.

I claim:

1. A structure for shafts, walls and the like, embodying therein blocks each having grooved edges and agrooved face and means for uniting said blocks, said means comprising an anchor having a shank portion lying in one of the grooved edges, a spike portion entering said grooved edge, and a loop. portion registering with one of the grooves in the fa'ceof the block, and a separate dowel passing through each loop portion and lying in the groove in the face of the block, whereby. one dowel is adapted to bridge and bond two adjacent blocks.

I '2. A structure for'shafts, walls and the like, embodying therein blocks laid in courses, each of said'blocks being rectangularin shape and having grooved edges and a grooved face, an anchor having a sharp end and a straight shank lying in the edge groove of one block and a loop at the other end of the anchor registering with the face groove-in an adjacent block, and a separate dowel passing through each loop and having one half its length in the face groove of one block and the other half of its length in the corresponding face groove of an adjacent and lying partly in the face groove of one of the two'adjacent blocks, and partly in the edge groove of the other adjacent block.

4. A dumbwaiter shaft of substantially rectangular configuration, embodying a series ofblocks laid in courses, each block having'grooved edges and a groove in the face of the block near one end thereof, anchors uniting said blocks and courses to each other, certain of said. anchors extending at right angles to each other and each thereof comprising a straight shank portion fittin snugly in the edge groove of one block an a loop portion registering with two alined grooves of adjacent blocks, said loop portions being adjacent the corners of the shaft and in position at right angles to each other,

and separate dowels passing through said loops and bridging the joints of adjacent blocks.

5. A dumbwaiter shaft embodying therein a series of courses of blocks each of which has a grooved edge and grooves in one face thereof, said face grooves being adjacent the ends of the block, certain of said courses being bonded or breaking joints whereby the edge'groove of one block will aline with a face groove of one'adjacent block, anchors for said blocks, each of said anchors including a loop registering with said alined edge and face grooves, and a separatedowel passing through each loop and bridging the joint between adjacent blocks.

6. A dumbwaiter shaft embodying therein a section composed of blocks each having ooved edges and a grooved face and laid in a bonded course whereby the edge groove in one block will aline with theface groove in an adjacent block, another section composed of similar blocks laid in a straight course whereby the edge grooves of adjacent blocks will aline, an anchor between each pair of adjacent blocks, each anchor com prising a sharp end and a straight shank portion lying in a horizontal edge groove in one block and a loop member registering with alined vertical grooves in adjacent blocks, and a separate dowel passing through each loop and bridging the joint between adjacent blocks.

7 Adumbwaiter shaft embodying therein a section composed of blocks each havin grooved edges and a grooved face andlaid in bonded courses whereby the edge groove inone block will aline with the face groovelast named anchors in-an adjacent block-another section composed of similar blocks laid in straight courses whereby the edgegrooves of ad'acent blocks will a1ine,'anchors between ad acent blocks of said first named section, said anchors extending at right angles to each otherand each comprisifig a straight shank portion lying in one of t e edge grooves and a loop portion between alined edge and face between adjacent grooves, similar anchors section, sald blocks in said second named y the loops thereof will each other where passing through each aline, and a dowel loop and bonding ad acentblocks together;

In testimony whereof I. have aflixed my signature in presence of two witnesses. v CHARLES R. BALLNER. Witnesses:

' OT'ro MUNK, v Cmmcn FRANCE.

extending parallel to 

